In recognition of October being National Bullying Prevention Month, this week’s tech tip gives you facts about cyber bullying as provided by the Kentucky Center for School Safety (KCSS). Please share this information with the kids in your life.
KCSS provides great resources on this topic and defines cyber bullying as “the use of information and technology such as e-mail, instant messaging, the publishing of defamatory personal web sites, and online personal polling web sites that are used to support conscious, willful, deliberate, repeated, and hostile behavior by one or more people with the intent to harm others.”
How big is the problem? (I-Safe Survey of 1500 students)
Middle school survey
· 35 percent were threatened online
· 42 percent were bullied while online
· 53 percent admit to bullying others online
· 58 percent told their parents or an adult
High school survey
· 52 percent were bullied online
· 52 percent admit to bullying others online
How can you prevent being cyber bullied?
· Don’t give out private information (Passwords, PIN).
· Be careful about posting personal information such as name, address and cell numbers.
· Don’t share buddy lists.
· Delete messages from people you don’t know.
· When something doesn’t sound right, leave the chat room.
· Assume no digital communication is private.
How to prevent miscommunication or becoming a cyber bully
· Don’t e-mail when you are angry.
· Don’t e-mail with friends and target someone for entertainment.
· Don’t forward an e-mail that someone sent as a private message.
Questions to ask yourself before you post or send
· Is this communication kind and respectful?
· How would I feel if someone else sent this to me?
· Does this violate any rules, pledges or laws?
· How would I feel if my actions were printed in the newspaper?
· Would it be “okay” in real life or “face to face?”
· How will this reflect on me and my family?
What to do if you are cyber-bullied
· Tell a trusted adult.
· Don’t open or read messages from cyber bullies.
· Don’t react to the bully.
· If it is at school, tell a trusted adult at school.
· Don’t erase the message or images.
· Block the bully.
· If you are threatened with harm, inform the police.
For more information on cyber bullying please visit the KCSS cyber bullying Web pages.
To provide feedback or submit a technical topic/question you’d like to see addressed, please send e-mails to Matt.Jury@education.ky.gov.
Published 10/22/2010